I don’t need a ‘C’ to be captain of Fife Flyers

Matthew Elder

As the oldest, most experienced player in the dressing room, and with an Elite League winners medal to his name, the 35-year-old defenceman not only earns respect, he commands it.

And as one of the team’s most steady and consistent performers, Moyer is a man the coaching staff rely on, team mates look up to, and who the fans admire.

There has been no official club announcement regarding Moyer’s captaincy, nor does he wear a ‘C’ on his jersey, but his place within the dressing room hierarchy is unmistakable.

“I’m an older guy, the guys respect me, and I feel like if I have something to say, they listen,” he said.

“Hopefully I’m doing the right things around here that earns their respect.

“I know that I’m a leader amongst two or three others on the team, that people try to follow. It’s kind of leadership by committee, which has been working well.

“I’ve never been told I was the captain, but when I came here I knew it would be in a leadership role.

“Whether I have a letter on the jersey doesn’t really make a difference.

“I don’t think I’m doing that much more different this year compared to last.

“It’s just my personality and what I’ve been going with.”

Moyer revealed that his progression from quiet pro to team leader has come with age.

“As I’ve got older it’s become a little easier,” he said.

“I’ve seen more things and experienced more things, so it’s been a natural progression.

“I wouldn’t have considered myself a leader at all six or eight years ago.

“I was just a middle of the pack guy who kept quiet and did my own thing.

“It’s just the way I’ve evolved as a player.

“I’ve played on a lot of successful teams and tried to take some of the finer characteristics of good players and implement them into my game and lifestyle, both inside and outside the rink.

“We are only at the rink for a couple of hours a day but it’s a full-time job and if you want to be successful you have to approach it as a profession.

“That’s the way I’ve been approaching it for the last five or six years.”

Moyer was part of a strong veteran core in Fife last season that included Ric Jackman, Brendan Brooks and Sebastian Thinel, but the dressing room dynamic has changed this year, with a much younger look to the side.

“I don’t know what our average age would be but it’s got to be considerably lower,” he said.

“It keeps me younger, but at the same time makes me feel older too!

“It’s definitely been a welcome change. Ric and Brendan were a couple of my good buddies on the team last year, but coming to the rink this year has been much more enthuasistic, positive and upbeat.

“Results help, and what we’re trying to do is maintain those results.

“We were not overly satisfied with the past two games, and everyone took it to heart.

“Realising how close we were against Belfast playing only 20 minutes made us appreciate that maybe this is something special.